Catching grayling is incredibly interesting, regardless of the time of year. This exotic fish for many fishermen, shrouded in an aura of mystery, is quite widespread in our country. Grayling is found everywhere in Russia, with the only exception being the southern part of the country, directly adjacent to the Black Sea coast. Another thing is that some densely populated areas with serious problems with the cleanliness of the ecological situation due to industrial pollution of rivers do not allow this representative of salmon to survive and reproduce in numbers capable of providing fishermen with opportunities for regular and stable fishing.
In this regard, when planning a trip to a reservoir in search of grayling, you need to familiarize yourself with the legislative framework of the region you are visiting and make sure that the extraction of this trophy is permitted by law and does not constitute poaching or the destruction of a small species of ichthyofauna of the area. Having made sure of the legality of his actions, all that remains is to catch the grayling, and the angler will learn about fishing technology, behavioral characteristics of the fish and the best time to catch it from the article presented below.
Description and behavior characteristics
Grayling is one of the brightest and most distinctive representatives of the salmon family, living in freshwater. The fish is a cold-loving species and feels comfortable in reservoirs with water temperatures that do not rise above 17 degrees. In appearance, it is a runaway fish with small, dense scales and a high dorsal fin covered with bright multi-colored dots. It is simply impossible to confuse even a accidentally caught specimen with other fish species.
Fishing for grayling, due to its year-round increased nutritional activity, is possible throughout the year. The fish is omnivorous, although grayling is considered a pronounced predator, which is confirmed by the presence of miniature teeth in the form of bristles. The diet of the population is formed based on the seasonality of the release of a particular food item. At its core, the fish conducts a wait-and-see manner of hunting, choosing a convenient parking spot and picking up food passing by, without particularly moving around the reservoir. Leads a school life, huddling in a group of a dozen similar-sized fish and inhabiting a certain territory.
Spawning in fish is portioned and can consist of three exits, which occur in the spring-summer period of the year. Grayling fishing in summer and spring does not stop due to the mating season due to the spawning of different schools of fish at different periods of time.
Best lures
The equipment of a spinning rod for catching grayling is completed by setting artificial baits, the focus of which varies from the use of fly fishing flies to the more well-known and familiar to a wide range of anglers, popular in catching other freshwater predators with spinners and wobblers. In grayling fishing, the rule is perfectly confirmed that when serving a larger bait, the angler has the right to count on a larger trophy.
But an obstacle to its implementation is the fact that most often spinning fishermen catch fish weighing 400–500 grams. And as they say, they can’t handle large baits, the size of which does not exceed 5–7 cm. Wet flies of natural, discreet colors are placed on a spinning rod for catching grayling, and we will dwell in more detail on the choice of wobblers and spinners suitable for grayling hunting, having examined each type of bait in extended angles.
Read: Fishing for rotan in winter
Spinners
A rotating spoon is the best option for catching predators in shallow, up to 3 meters, reservoirs. Separately, for fans of spinning trout hunting, we note that the choice of catchy spinners for grayling is quite consistent with promising baits for catching the more famous predator. A good example of a predator-proof spinner are models of spinners similar to the Mepps type Aglia or the Comet variation. For a medium-sized trophy, numbers 1 and 0 are suitable. In sunny weather, dark petals with distinct yellow or red dots are used. In cloudy weather, pure silver tones are promising. In turbid waters, catchy unnatural exotic colors work. In clear water, natural colors are more visible.
The spinners used must have a stable motion, because frequent failures in the rotation of the petal and its late activation do not bring comfort to fishing in fast currents, and even scare away cautious and suspicious predators from the fishing trajectories
Wobblers
Wobblers for grayling have much greater capabilities compared to other types of artificial bait. So, with wobblers you can fish deep-sea areas, regardless of the strength of the currents, and, depending on the fishing conditions, you can select styles and speeds of retrieve that match the mood of the fish. Crankbaits with their own action and miniature minnows are suitable for grayling hunting. The length of wobblers usually does not exceed 5 cm, and their weight does not exceed 7–8 grams. The cranks are selected in forms similar to water swimming beetles, with a playing style waddling from side to side on a not wide, sweeping amplitude of the stroke.
Suspenders provide optimal fishing conditions. These models are used to fish the water column at different levels. At depths, they use sinking versions of wobblers, which more quickly reach the depth horizons needed for fishing. The color of the wobbler is significant only when fishing in shallow waters, where the color is selected by analogy with the choice of the color of the spinner, taking into account the illumination and transparency of the water during fishing. At depths, wobblers in natural whitish colors reminiscent of fish scales are used. The disadvantage of wobblers is considered to be their high grip, but otherwise the preference of choice for spinning anglers remains precisely this type of artificial bait, which is more universal in use and is often more catchy than others.
Main types of grayling
Before you start fishing, you need to imagine that grayling has several varieties, differing in appearance and size. This feature is noted based on the region where the individual lives.
The largest specimens are the Siberian fish species. Individuals of this subspecies reach a mass of three kilograms and have distinct teeth, and the size of the upper jaw reaches the eyes. The color scale of the scales varies from red to purple. Fishing for this large grayling is carried out in the Siberian region and the Far North.
Siberian large grayling
The European species is distinguished by an elongated body and an expressive high and multi-colored dorsal fin with 24 rays. The back of the fish is gray-green in color, with the presence of dark spots of various shades. A small mouth with a lower position and very small, barely noticeable teeth. Its weight rarely reaches 1.5 kg, and individuals do not grow over 50 cm in length. The described species is widespread in the European part of the country.
The Mongolian species is considered to be the smallest representative among graylings. But despite this disadvantage, the fish has the largest teeth and a long head. The dorsal fin is gray, covered with white spots. The rest of the plumage of the fish is orange with lilac tints and edging. For the most part, the Mongolian species inhabits the river basins of the Far Eastern region. Grayling fishing is promising on small rivers and fast streams in this region remote from the European part.
Catching grayling in March with a jig
To catch grayling with a jig, the most ordinary gear is used, but the presentation of the bait has its own nuances that must be taken into account.
Tackle for catching grayling in March using a jig
Selecting gear for catching grayling in March from ice with jigs is not particularly difficult. Use standard lightweight fishing rods with reels or reels. The choice of such jig tackle is largely a matter of personal preference.
But it is preferable to be able to make sharp, quick hooks so that the fish, which suspects something is wrong, does not have time to throw the bait out of its mouth. Grayling often does this in March, and the right tackle will help keep the number of empty bites to a minimum.
It is preferable to use monofilament as the main line. Suitable diameters are about 0.15-0.16 mm. These lines are strong enough to withstand landing almost any grayling that might get hooked. At the same time, they are quite thin, so they provide minimal resistance to the flow of water when fishing in the current and do not greatly alarm the fish.
Monoline has many advantages over braided line, making it better suited for catching grayling from ice. This line does not freeze in cold weather, it is invisible in the water, stretches well and absorbs the jerks of the fish.
If grayling is inactive, you can use a monofilament with a diameter of 0.12-0.14 mm. When the fish, on the contrary, are active, as well as in situations where large specimens are caught, it makes sense to use monofilaments up to 0.22 m thick.
Fluorocarbon line is best for leashes.
It is even less noticeable in the water than a regular monofilament, which comes in handy when catching such cautious fish with good eyesight as grayling. Using fluorocarbon instead of regular monofilament can significantly increase the number of bites
Techniques for catching grayling in March using a jig
When fishing for grayling in March, you need to be prepared for the fact that the fish will be quite active and behave quite lively.
There can be a lot of bites, they can happen frequently, and the fish can strongly resist being fished out. The difference with the winter months is usually significant. You must be ready to make instant hooks and win trophies without delay. When fishing with game, different options for feeding the jig are possible.
- Smooth swinging of the fishing rod with an amplitude of up to 5 cm works well. In general, when fishing for grayling, rather slow and smooth movements of the bait are preferable. During the game, it is better to pause frequently, allowing the bait to hover in the water column.
- You can also use a standard game with a jig - sharp vibrations (about 200-300 per minute) with a small amplitude. This presentation option brings good results when hunting for a wide variety of fish. You can get good catches with it when fishing for grayling in March, and the more active the fish, the more relevant this fishing is.
Fishing for a point can be started from the bottom. But, if there are no bites, it is also worth checking the middle and upper horizons. In March, grayling can stay both in the bottom layer and above. This approach works well when fishing for grayling in March, both with jigs or fly agarics, as well as spoons and balancers.
Fishing with a fixed jig can also be very successful. When fishing this way, it is possible to use several gears at once, placed in neighboring holes. Their rigs can be positioned at different depths and different baits can be used to quickly determine where the grayling is holding on a fishing day and what it prefers. However, it is necessary to be able to make quick hooks, so you should not use too many rods, and their nods should always be kept in sight. It is better not to use more than 2-3 gear at the same time.
Where are grayling found?
This representative of the salmon family can safely be called an ecological indicator of a reservoir, because the fish lives only in clean water, fully saturated with oxygen. Fishing for grayling near large industrial areas is obviously doomed to failure, since the fish, sensitive to the content of harmful impurities in the water, simply cannot produce healthy offspring.
The usual habitats of fish are streams and fast rivers with a pebble bottom, where the fish arrange their camp sites in areas where the flow slows down. Graylings also inhabit lakes with cold waters coming from mountain ranges. The depths of such reservoirs rarely exceed the ten-meter mark. When fishing for grayling on small rivers, they focus on riffles and channel turns with accelerated currents and adjacent backwaters.
Important! For a predator to live, aquatic thickets are not a mandatory attribute in the water areas themselves and near the coastlines; fish love free and far-visible areas, which determines the cleanliness and transparency of the water in the habitats of this population.
Flocks love to inhabit areas of reservoirs with tributaries of rushing streams and the presence of a large number of underwater springs with a constant release and flow of fresh and cold water.
What does it eat?
The predator’s diet is based on collecting insects that fall into the water, as well as various small animals inhabiting the reservoir itself. Dragonflies, all kinds of moths and flies, grasshoppers that fall on the water immediately become a desirable dish for this nimble fish. Waterfowl beetles, water striders and insect larvae will definitely find themselves in the zone of interest of a school of grayling. During periods of spawning of other fish neighboring graylings, these predators do not disdain the opportunity to feast on laid eggs, collecting eggs floating past them, carried away by the water from the spawning ground. At the moment of the release of fish larvae and fry, specimens caught in the stream also become victims of feeding fish.
Important! The predator does not purposefully pursue the prey, waiting for it to approach its parking place in a stream of water. It feeds both from the surface and in the middle water horizons, never descending to the bottom.
Based on these facts about its nutrition, bait and groundbait for grayling is fed purely into the water column, without touching the bottom at all.
Grayling biting calendar by season
The grayling bite is observed throughout the year. The fish are active and continue to feed both in open water and during periods of freeze-up. All you have to do is adjust for the intensity of how grayling bites in a certain season of the year, and the level of biting intensity directly depends on the temperature of the water and its transparency, and is also related to the time of population reproduction, which, as mentioned above, is a cyclical process.
Spring is not considered a particularly productive time for grayling fishing. After the ice melts, the water is not transparent and reliable knowledge of where the fish are staying is required so that the bait can be delivered as accurately as possible within the predator’s visibility range.
Important! The peculiarities of fishing for spring grayling require a constant search for parking places for feeding schools and the use of clearly visible and noisy baits that can attract the interest of fish, which can be achieved by fishing for grayling with a bombard.
The fisherman should not forget about the decrease in fish activity during the spawning period, the first part of which falls in the spring months.
Summer fishing is difficult due to the large amount of food available to the fish, since the constant flight of various insects saturates the predator, making it picky and capricious in its diet.
Important! Grayling fishing in summer is most successful in the surface layers of water using all kinds of insect imitations, selected according to the shape of the mayfly at the time of fishing.
It is these correctly selected artificial baits that determine the success of fly fishing. The ongoing spawning may only provide anglers with a bite for a couple of summer weeks.
The autumn season is included in the rank of mining time. The decrease in the number of available insects and the approaching freeze-up season force the fish to feed more actively and move around the reservoir more often, changing their parking place, which only benefits the angler. After all, now you don’t need to constantly look for fish, but you can persistently fish for a promising point in the hope that a flock of predators will approach. Now the bait for grayling is supplied to the middle horizons of water, which is much clearer than summer, and even more so spring waters. The trophies themselves are distinguished by their fatness and size, and the bites are much faster and almost always bring a positive result in terms of catching fish.
In winter, after freeze-up, fishing continues, fishing from the ice above the deeper parts of the reservoir. Methods of catching grayling from summer options are transferred to ice fishing, using both artificial and natural animal baits as bait. The fish continues to stand on fast currents, waiting for the approach of an object suitable for feeding, and therefore does not critically change the strategy of its behavior.
Spring baits
This predator feeds on fry, insects, eggs, larvae and other small-sized food. These feeding preferences should definitely be taken into account when choosing lures and lures. Some fishermen cannot do fishing for grayling in the spring without flies, which can be obtained either at home or on the street. Leeches, moths and caddis flies are also suitable. In general, in small bodies of water, only animal-type bait is used. They are divided according to the nature of buoyancy into two types - floating and sinking. Well, according to tradition, it’s worth stocking up on a wide arsenal of baits when going fishing. After all, you can never guess exactly what taste preferences a predator has today. Yesterday the grayling pecked perfectly at the fly, but today it doesn’t pay any attention to it and prefers to feast on, for example, bloodworms. Fish bite quite well on a worm in the spring. This bait attracts her with its attractive smell and color. The worm has more than once rescued fishermen even in bad weather, when the fish refuses other bait and generally begins to behave extremely passively. It is best to cut the worm into pieces, then liquid will begin to be released from it, the smell of which will additionally interest the fish. As for bloodworms, attach them to the hook in bunches. Other popular baits include fish meat, red cockroaches and even cottage cheese. In early spring, you should completely forget about plant baits, since they will not stir up still passive fish. But after spawning, towards the end of May, you can start experimenting with bait.
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Without bait of animal origin, it is better not to go after grayling at all. Fishing for grayling in spring on small rivers works well with a jig. It is better to use droplet or ball-shaped models. The color tones of the jig should have dark shades. If the weather is cold in spring, you can also use spinners. It is recommended to take models from well-known brands. For example, Mepps or Daiwa. Fortunately, today fishing stores offer a wide range of spinners for almost any weight, color, size and shape. These parameters are selected individually, based on the characteristics of the reservoir where fishing will take place. No less popular among fishermen are flies for catching grayling. However, there are subtleties in choosing models. For example, it is important to use a dry fly in areas where there is a high density of insects. But wet models are used for fishing in currents.
Since catching a predator is not the easiest task, the fisherman must prepare well in advance for this event and have several options for gear and bait in stock, so that if something happens, he can quickly change fishing tactics
It is also equally important to study the reservoir and its promising places in advance. If the day turns out to be bright, it is recommended to use bait in bright colors (red, yellow)
If clouds cover the sky, then we change the models to darker options - for example, purple or green.
IMPORTANT! Choose a quiet and deserted place, because grayling shy away from every rustle. It is also important to position yourself so that the shadow does not fall into the water. . In March-April we work with animal-type baits; in May we can start working closely with spinners
The main thing is not to fuss when biting, but slowly and systematically begin to land the fish. When the fish approaches our hands, we use a landing net. If you want to catch a trophy specimen, then this can most likely be done after spawning is completed. During this period, large fish lose their vigilance a little and can easily peck at an appetizing bait.
In March-April we work with animal-type baits; in May we can start working closely with spinners. The main thing is not to fuss when biting, but slowly and systematically begin to land the fish. When the fish approaches our hands, we use a landing net. If you want to catch a trophy specimen, then this can most likely be done after spawning is completed. During this period, large fish lose their vigilance a little and can easily peck at an appetizing bait.
What to catch grayling with
Lures for grayling are varied and consist of artificial baits and baits of natural animal origin. The method of their use directly depends on the fishing method used. Some of the popular methods of hunting are fly fishing and spinning fishing. These techniques typically use a number of artificial baits. Float fishing and jig fishing are practiced with natural baits of animal origin. Using the method of catching fish using a boat, catching grayling with a bombard and casting can be done with both artificial and animal baits.
Natural baits
Of the natural baits, insects that stand alone can be distinguished: dragonflies, moths and butterflies, large flies, bees, bumblebees and, of course, grasshoppers, suitable for successful fishing. You can use worms, bloodworms, maggots, and caddis flies throughout the year, and especially when fishing from ice. Inert baits for catching grayling include fish meat and shrimp.
Artificial baits
The list of artificial baits is no less interesting and, first of all, it is worth noting the use of a fly for grayling, which anglers can purchase at a fishing store, or can successfully tie individually at home.
Important! Depending on the material used, the fly can be dry, which does not lose its shape when placed in water, or wet, which, when wet, takes on the natural shape of a crumpled, drowned insect.
Wobblers, cranks for ultralight spinning fishing and rotating spoons also attract predators with their frisky play. No less popular among spinners are miniature silicone baits, the so-called slugs, which imitate the appearance and movements of insects and underwater larvae and beetles.
Spawning period
Depending on the ecotype, grayling can reach sexual maturity in both the second and fourth years of life. The most early ripening are stream forms. River varieties have a longer life cycle, and therefore mature later.
Spawning of grayling in the Middle Urals begins around mid-May - usually after the flood reaches its peak, and lasts approximately 2-3 weeks - until June. By this time, fish occupy potential spawning grounds, which are pebble shallows with a quiet (no more than half a meter per second) current. To do this, they do not hesitate to climb into rather small tributaries - at a very decent distance from their habitats.
The largest individuals spawn first, then the medium-sized ones, and the spawning is “closed” by the small ones that have barely reached sexual maturity. The actual process of spawning looks like this: a pair appears in a school of fish, which separates and takes the right place, after which the male presses against the female from the side and covers her with his upper fin. For about a minute the fish stand like this and rub against each other, then they begin to tremble and abruptly throw out sexual products. After the eggs are spawned, the fish return to the school.
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What’s interesting is that, unlike many other fish, grayling has almost no recovery period after spawning1. Therefore, you can catch it already at the beginning of June.
The fry from fertilized eggs hatch in two to three weeks.
Lunch time is approaching, and the river is noticeably warmer. The morning fog has already risen, and the sun has warmed the surface of the water, where a new generation of insects begins to appear. Grayling is in combat readiness. Greedily he grabs the edgers. It is during this period that the peak of fish biting on morflies occurs. All the attention of the grayling is focused on the water column, the larvae emerge quite quickly, but the fish manages to get enough. At this very moment she grabs the bait.
The story that I want to tell is repeated in September on the rivers of Transbaikalia from year to year. The first night frosts have not yet hit, and numerous insects are frolicking in the sun. During this period, grayling migrates from summer camps to wintering grounds. Since noon, the fish on the river have been very active: no matter the wiring, there’s a bite! True, on each fishing trip the frequency of biting is different. It may bite for half an hour, an hour, maybe half a day. You won't guess. But the active phase in September is guaranteed every day.
Lunch time is approaching, and the river is noticeably warmer. The morning fog has already risen, and the sun has warmed the surface of the water, where a new generation of insects begins to appear. Grayling is in combat readiness. Greedily he grabs the edgers. It is during this period that the peak of fish biting on morflies occurs. All the attention of the grayling is focused on the water column, the larvae emerge quite quickly, but the fish manages to get enough. At this very moment she grabs the bait.
But now the period of insects emerging is over. Hundreds of thousands of flies literally cover the water surface. Now the fish's attention is focused on the surface of the water. The bite on decoys either weakens or stops altogether. Although this does not mean that the fish has become passive, far from it! She continues to feed, but in a different mode.
Not only fish are in a hurry to feast on mayflies: flocks of small birds attack the river, deftly picking up the desired food from the surface. One can only marvel at how harmoniously and thoughtfully the natural world is arranged! Nothing random or unnecessary!
Well, after this analysis, I’m thinking that next season I’ll have to master fly fishing!
According to local fishermen, in terms of taste, the lake fish is much inferior to the river fish, which is actually not news and is often observed in many species. Uskuk reaches significant sizes, up to two kg. The lake population is larger, but not as fat as the river population. Another representative of this family is a very common mountain fish from the Urals to Kamchatka - grayling.
Fishing, reconnaissance, photo hunting in southern Altai. Markakolsky district
There was a lot of luggage for two. Unexpectedly, the transport box for the dog did not fit into the trunk in terms of dimensions with the case for car equipment. Whatever one may say, the increased volume of the luggage compartment of the Landcruiser 200 is slightly inferior in width to the 105th Cruiser, since in the latter these boxes coexisted. For the prepared two hundred, this is the first big expedition, my research and hopes regarding tuning the main components, I wrote about this earlier, had to undergo field tests.
The main village, right on the shore of the protected lake Urunhaika, is the only place with cellular communications and large shops. It is better to replenish your supply of fresh bread in the village of Terekty (Alekseevka), before the Mramorny pass, as I understand there are no bakeries in other villages. In Urunhaik you can replenish your stock of dried fish and uskuk caviar, which is caught in winter and early spring on the ice on the lake, before the spring ban. The key waterways here are the Kalzhir, Kara Koba, Ak Koba and Kurchum rivers.
All of them flow into the Black Irtysh and carry their waters to the Arctic Ocean. These rivers and their tributaries have a rich ichthyofauna for sport fishing, of course, the char endemic to these places, the salmon family commonly known as the uskuch, there are two populations, lake and river.
According to local fishermen, in terms of taste, the lake fish is much inferior to the river fish, which is actually not news and is often observed in many species. Uskuk reaches significant sizes, up to two kg. The lake population is larger, but not as fat as the river population. Another representative of this family is a very common mountain fish from the Urals to Kamchatka - grayling.
I think many will agree with me that grayling is perhaps the best of fish))). Firstly, it is everywhere from small streams to wide rivers, secondly, it gives the fisherman real, challenging fishing, and thirdly, it is great in any form: fried, steamed, dried, salted, smoked, boiled, raw. The king of these waters, or rather the river lion, of course, is the taimen.
Mid-June is not the best fishing season, the water in the rivers is still cloudy and fish are not readily caught, the season begins in July and lasts until mid-September. During the season, the fish move, first upstream, and then downstream into deep wintering holes. We managed to fish a couple of rivers, but unfortunately we didn’t have much time. Nevertheless, we were pleased with the results. The catch of uzkuchi and grayling provided the whole company with fresh fish.
Now a little about fishing gear and fishing methods. I recommend having a couple of fishing rods, one Bolognese type, 4-5m long and one compact spinning rod. I have this pair consisting of a Shimano telescopic spinning rod and a Salmo lap rod, both fishing rods when folded are only 60cm, this is convenient when traveling on foot, on horseback and on long expeditions. There are also two reels, an inertia-free shimano 2500 for spinning and a multiplier for a Bolognese fishing rod.
This is not my first salmon fishing; in the mountain rivers of Kamchatka, Baikal and in the upper reaches of the Lena River, the grayling fishing technology is different everywhere. The fishermen on Lake Baikal had interesting gear; they wrote about it in detail in the report “Fishing on Lake Baikal.” There, the use of a multiplier reel is mandatory; the same gear, with a slight adjustment, turned out to be catchy on the rivers of the Altai Mountains. The local methodology differed from the Baikal one in that the weight and number of sinkers were smaller, and the float had a fixed depth.
The fishing method is as follows: a section of the river with a calm flow formed by some kind of obstacle or terrain is selected, the depth is chosen such that the tackle is at the very bottom, then rafting fishing begins. You throw the tackle upstream and float it along interesting areas. There are two hooks, on the bottom there is a green fly from Salmo, on the top there is a regular hook, between them there is a weight of up to 10 grams. The water was a little cloudy, so I attached a small worm to the fly))) for flavor.
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Actually, this bait worked; mostly small grayling were caught. In one of the holes, a large animal unexpectedly pecked, the tackle was very light, the hook was a couple of mm, and in short, it got agitated)). But everything worked out and after a couple of minutes he brought the handsome Uskuch to the reach. As it turned out, in this section of the deep river, usch is caught well, and there is also taimen. Rich fish soup, an excellent finale for any fishing trip, and with tea from a samovar on mountain herbs it’s just a dream!
In fact, we fished in one area for only a couple of hours, the rest of the time we traveled throughout the entire area, fishing all the rivers if possible. The general summary is that the most catchy areas are located behind the “system”, oddly enough)), the density of wild animals there is also much higher. Naturally, I was very pleased with the fishing and I hope that soon the guys will organize fishing tours for the “system”.
He advised me to start by organizing an information tour for fishermen-bloggers from different forums, I liked the idea, I hope they will announce the conditions soon.
The base of the belly begins a red or brick-colored stripe that extends to the end of the fin on the back. Has a longitudinal shape. There are also green, purple or red spots in the color palette. On the extreme part of the upper fin.
How to catch grayling
Tackle for catching grayling should be distinguished by the lightness of the forms and components of the equipment, as well as the subtlety of installation.
Important! Hunting for this representative of salmon fish is quite dynamic and requires constant monitoring of baits, and for fly fishing, special training in the skill of casting a fly.
When completing tackle for spinning, float and fly fishing, select the lightest graphite rod, the use of which will not tire the angler with frequent casts. For cords, nylon fishing lines are used, which perfectly dampen the jerks of caught fish, and hooks are used with an elongated shank, size 10–12. Wade fishing is always more successful than shore hunting, and the presence of waders for an angler will help to significantly increase the number of catches. The angler will learn about the features of using various fishing methods and baits depending on the season of the year from further material in the article, with a focus on the main nuances of the technology.
in spring
For still muddy spring waters, the use of float gear is justified, with the help of which baits of animal origin are placed in the middle water levels above the places where the fish are supposed to stay.
Important! The speed of the wiring is comparable to the speed of the current without delays or stops. The nature of the presentation of an insect, thin dung worm, bloodworm or maggot does not cause suspicion in the fish and if the presentation trajectory is successful, it will definitely take the bait.
Fishing using bombards and wobblers with low-frequency, not sweeping action is effective. The float should keep the bait in the middle water horizon, and the wiring itself is performed at an average pace of winding the cord without pauses or freezes.
In summer
In the summer, fly fishing becomes the priority method of catching predators. Fishing is done from the surface using a dry fly as bait. Fly fishing for grayling on riffles and rapids brings more bites than on the borders of fast and standing water. After casting, the fly is allowed to swim along the surface with slight twitches and pauses. The slightest touch of the bait by the fish is accompanied by an energetic hook. Long distances are fished using a floating bombard, relocating the predator's supposed stopping place. Bringing the fly to a promising point, they make holds and pauses, at the moment of which the bite occurs.
in autumn
In the fall, fly fishing continues, but the best fly will be in the wet version. The predator stops taking bait from the surface and begins to hunt in the water column. Spinning fishing using small spinners and silicone can be superior to fly fishing in terms of catchability. Uniform movements, without touching the bottom, are carried out on rapids and on the trajectories of contact of the main current with the creeks. In the fall, it is justified to use a boat equipped with both artificial flies and hooks with bloodworm and maggot attachments.
in winter
After the pond freezes, fishing is carried out with winter fishing rods, light balalaikas, with the installation of jigs and replanting bloodworms on them. The bait is played in the water column, making low throws alternating them with a short pause. On currents, they use the ice fishing technique using float equipment, placing an artificial fly as bait, which is fed into the middle horizons of the water and lures a predator, playing with the force of the current. Fishing with winter baits placed along the stream using flies or small silicone as bait is no less productive.
Lures for catching grayling in April
To catch grayling in April from ice or in open water, you can use quite a few different natural and artificial baits.
Natural baits
Natural baits are attached to a separate hook and used as independent baits or used as bait when fishing with jigs and spoons.
The following are good for catching grayling in mid-spring:
- worms;
- bloodworms, maggots and larvae of other insects (for example, caddis flies).
These are basic baits that are quite easy to get, and at the same time they attract grayling well.
Jigs
Jigs are used for ice fishing with winter fishing rods - both for play and without play (for stationary bait). They are also well suited for fishing with summer float gear in open water. Many people use rigs with jigs instead of traditional rigs with sinkers and a hook.
Grayling is not too picky about the choice of forms. The main thing is to choose the right time and place for fishing and correctly present the bait to the fish. Its shape is not of decisive importance. The most commonly used are standard pellets and drops.
Fly agarics are also a good choice. This type of bait is a fly with a fly attached to the hook. Fly agaric baits suitable for catching grayling in April should convincingly imitate aquatic invertebrates, primarily insect larvae. These baits can be either purchased or made yourself.
Read How to catch bream in the fall and prepare working bait
Spoons and balancers for ice fishing
Spoons and balancers are good baits for catching medium and large grayling from the ice. For fishing in April, standard grayling models are perfect - with narrow, elongated bodies, up to 5 cm in length. The main color options are bright silver for cloudy days, dull yellow (copper) for sunny days.
Spoons for catching grayling using spinning rods
For catching grayling in April with a spinning rod, small spinners are best suited - up to the first and second numbers, sometimes you can use the third one if you expect to see a lot of medium and large fish in the catches.
You can also use oscillators, although they are used much less frequently. The best models are lures with a narrow elongated shape or medium width, up to 5 cm in length. In particular, you can use “trout” models of high-quality micro-oscillators, which, as a rule, work great for grayling due to their most attractive game.
Wobblers
Small models with a length of 2-5 cm are well suited for wobblers. The main requirement for such baits is that they must show an attractive game on a uniform retrieve, both slow and fast, including in strong currents.
Not all wobblers work consistently in fast flows, but there are enough models that meet this requirement and are perfect for catching grayling in April. The best options are “bellied” baits, such as cranks.
Front sights
Flies can be used for catching grayling in mid-spring with fly fishing and other types of gear. They are used instead of a jig or a hook with bait when fishing from ice, when fishing in open water with float rods and in spinning fishing. To successfully catch grayling on a fly with a spinning rod, you can use a rig with a Tyrolean stick, a Texas or Carolina rig, or a rig with a bombard.
